Lake Motosu (Motosu-ko)
Located at the western foot of Mt. Fuji, the lake has a circumference of 12.6 km, an area of 4.7 square km, and a depth of 122 meters. Among the Fuji Five Lakes, it has a particularly large amount of untouched nature. The quality of the water is excellent, and it boasts "the highest transparency in the Honshu region".
The reflection of Mt. Fuji on the 1,000 yen bill was actually photographed right here at Lake Motosu.
Kamikochi
Kamikochi offers one of Japan's most spectacular mountain sceneries. Its magnificent landscape is designated as a Special Natural Monuments along with Special Places of Scenic Beauty. Walter Weston, a British Anglican missionary praised Kamikochi in his writing “Mountaineering and Exploration in the Japan Alps” in 1896 which made Kamikochi an internationally well-known mountain area.
You can drive your car straight to the parking lot inside. From there, it's just a short walk to Kappa Bridge.
Meiji Jingu Shrine
Meiji Shrine was established in 1920 (Taisho 9) as a shrine to enshrine Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken.
Harajuku Station outside the shrine used to be the oldest wooden station in Tokyo. Now that the old station has been torn down, I feel a bit sad and it's such a shame.
Universal Studios Japan
Universal Studios Japan, nicknamed “USJ”, is a large-scale theme park with entertainment for everyone, both children and adults alike. The park is separated into different areas, each with a different theme from popular titles across the world.
We originally planned to visit Universal Studios Japan as a family to celebrate our child's graduation this year. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, we had to cancel. It's tough seeing the kids disappointed, but we're just hoping the virus goes away soon.